| Case Study | |||||
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 After Treatment |
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| The medal research brought an unexpected reward. An original Lucius Fairchild commemorative decoration was discovered. As recorded earlier, family descendants were interviewed in the hope of finding original medallic heirlooms. The great-grandson of Lucius Fairchild, Mr. Wyndham Gary, is eighty-one-years old and is the proud owner of the brooch pictured below. The author was able to meet with Mr. Gary and photograph his cherished treasure. | |||||
 21st National Encampment Souvenir Medal 1887 |
 21st National Encampment Souvenir Medal 1887 |
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| The commemorative decoration contains two-hundred diamonds and is still in its original Tiffany box. The obverse contains the central image of the GAR badge in the upper gold bar while the medallion consists of a bronze portrait of Fairchild ringed with the words, "Commander-in-Chief G.A.R. 1887." The reverse is inscribed, "21st National Encampment. Souvenir. St. Louis 1887" The words, "Tiffany & Co." are stamped into the upper left bar support brace and on the original box, pictured below. | |||||
| The family lore is that the brooch was given to Fairchild in St. Louis by Mrs. George Westinghouse, Jr.(36) Her husband at one time asked Fairchild to join him in forming an electric light company, known today as Westinghouse Electric. Fairchild declined the offer preferring to invest in what he considered the safer gas light alternative.(37) It seems that Mrs. Westinghouse obtained an Encampment souvenir medallion and then designed the diamond-studded brooch as a gift. Fairchild would have received the item at the same time he was honored with his Commander-in-Chief Presentation Medal, Medal #3. | |||||
 Tiffany & Co. New York Paris London |
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| Footnotes | |||||
| (36) Information from Mr. Wyndham Gary. | |||||
| (37) Ross. Ibid. p. 225. | |||||
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Barry Bauman Conservation |
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